The Orangery holiday cottage review: "Perfectly equipped for a relaxing weekend in Dorset"

Our verdict

I’m a firm believer that if I’m staying in the UK for a vacation, and thus sacrificing guaranteed sunshine and warmer climes, then I want to ensure the place we stay in is nicer than my own home, particularly when it comes to the bed (I love a good night’s sleep!) and the shower. The Orangery in Dorset, managed by Dorset Hideaways, did not disappoint.

This spacious, and beautifully outfitted three bedroom cottage just ten minutes from Lyme Regis turned our weekend away into a truly luxurious experience that we came back from feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. (With energetic three- and six-year-old boys, that is no mean feat!)

Spotting ‘How to turn a house into a home’ by White Company founder Chrissie Rucker should have been my first hint of what was to follow, as from the moment we stepped inside, we instantly felt welcomed and looked after. Every room in the property, right down to the smallest corner and shelf, is exquisitely styled. Think textured throws, plump cushions, chic vases, and softly glowing lamps, all creating a calm, luxurious vibe. Yet despite looking like something straight out of an interiors magazine, it never felt untouchable. Everything had been styled with family life in mind, and I didn't feel the need to remove anything before letting my boys loose in the property.

The house was perfectly equipped for our four day stay and I’d recommend it to anyone  looking for a truly comfortable spot to explore the Jurassic Coast, either as a family, or with grandparents in tow. We’re already planning our return!

How we tested The Orangery

We stayed as a family of four in July for four nights from Thurs - Monday, with our two boys aged six and three. We wanted to make the most of our holiday, so drove down on Thursday night after dinner and bathtime at home, and spent three nights using the house as our base for fossil hunting, exploring the coast, and mooching around Lyme Regis. 

What is The Orangery like as a holiday home?

It's actually a lot more spacious than the photos suggest - you enter onto a gated, gravel driveway where you can park your car safely and shut the gates behind you. The kids bedroom has two single beds, and plenty of thoughtful touches like children’s books and wicker baskets for storing clothing.  

We brought a cot bumper for our three-year-old who is in a cot bed at home, to ensure he didn’t roll out while sleeping, and the boys slept well here. There’s a bathroom with a toilet next to this room for ease, but one main bathroom with a shower and bath. 

The master bedroom is down the hall and has a king size bed and French doors opening out onto a courtyard, as well as a dressing table vanity, and a wardrobe with hanging space and shelves. If needed, there’s lots of room for a travel cot in here. The ensuite bathroom, accessed either from the master, or via the hallway, is well stocked with grapefruit scented bath products, fluffy towels that smelt divine, and a roll top bath. (The kids' verdict: "this bath is ENORMOUS!") Needless to say, it was certainly big enough to wash copious amounts of sand off them after days at the beach!

There is a third bedroom with a super king bed that would be perfect for grandparents, or another couple joining, though you’d struggle to fit a travel cot in this one as there’s also a dressing table and chair.

The living space extends from the kitchen through to the dining room and then living room, and has been beautifully decorated in keeping with the seaside/fossil themes of the Jurassic coast. Again, this space is curated beautifully, and so well equipped. We didn’t do a huge amount of cooking while there, but could have had we wanted to. The cupboards were well stocked, with matching Dunelm sets, including plastic options for young children, and I enjoyed the open plan nature of the property, meaning you’re always together, within view of, and earshot of your children’s dinosaur roaring meaningful conversations.

Who is this holiday home best suited to?

We stayed very comfortably as a family of four, but thought it would have been an ideal property to include grandparents on, as we all know that’s the holy grail of being able to get any real down time on holidays! With the property all being on one level, it’s an easy choice for older relatives, as well as toddlers or little ones who may be a danger around stairs. The third bedroom, with the super king, is away from the other two rooms, so would be quieter if crying babies in the night is a concern, and there’s space for a couple of cars on the driveway it would be easy to include another couple. 

What equipment and/or amenities are included?

Pretty much anything you could need! The only thing we brought from home, other than clothes, etc, were beach towels! We were offered a high chair if needed but we didn't use this.

There was a big Smeg range cooker in the kitchen complete with gas hobs, a Smeg fridge freezer and a Nespresso machine, with accompanying milk frother to give that premium feeling. The kitchen also included a microwave and dishwasher. In the main living room there's a wood burning stove, which would make this a particularly cosy holiday home for October half-term, Christmas or February half-term breaks.

The property was well-stocked with a bookshelf full of holiday reads too and while brought our own beach towels, there were plenty of soft, fluffy bath and hand towels, all of which had been freshly laundered and smelled divine. Outside there's a BBQ and garden furniture including two large outdoor beanbags.

What child-friendly facilities are there?

There are children’s books in the kids bedroom, and plates and cups for children in the kitchen. There is also a fossil hunting kit hanging behind the front door that we unfortunately didn’t discover until our last day, but this would be well appreciated by any dinosaur enthusiasts coming to stay.  

Is any food or drink included with your stay?

On arrival there were coffee pods for the Nespresso machine, fresh milk left in the fridge, and a gorgeous box of biscuits, but no other food as the property is self catering. I was pleased to find the useful bits that are sometimes missing with self-catered places - a new sponge, dishwashing tablets, new cloths for wiping the surface, cleaning spray, and washing up soap all included too, as well as brand new dishcloths.

How accessible is the property?

We didn’t need to use buggies or a wheelchair, but the driveway is pebble so anything on wheels may have struggled. In terms of access, having everything on one floor was a huge plus - especially when it comes to having two energetic boys who like to chase each other for most of their waking hours. The garden is accessible via a few steps and while there is a BBQ area, the garden itself is sloped, so while ok for kids to play and run off some steam, anyone with mobility issues would find it challenging. There is a table outside the front door with an umbrella and chairs which is more suitable for dining if you were BBQing, though we only ate inside at the dining table.

What is the location like?

We knew very little about the area before being offered the chance to review it, and when I enquired to the the Dorset Hideaways team (all of whom are local, so have true, lived knowledge) they were able to provide me with some brilliant options for our trip - everything from family friendly places to eat, to the best options for my dinosaur obsessed six-year-old. This was so appreciated, particularly as a working parent with limited capacity for much planning prior to the trip, but their recommendations felt personal and spot on and I felt confident driving down to Dorset with their suggestions as a blueprint. 

The team were also very responsive when I flagged a forgotten teddy, which was located and returned promptly to us by post within a couple of days. 

We visited Charmouth Beach which is world famous for fossil hunting. On arrival there is free entry to the Charmouth Heritage Centre where you can see some of the amazing finds from the beach and get advice on the best place for fossil hunting. There are also lots of guided fossil walking tours that can be booked in advance but they were all fully booked up for summer, so good to plan this early on.  

The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum run by Steve, who was cut from the same cloth as David Attenborough, is a must for any dinosaur fans. Steve has built up this collection over his lifetime and was simply the friendliest, most knowledgeable paleontologist we’ve ever met, and happy to engage with and answer questions from the kids. Don’t expect an experience comparable to the Natural History Museum, but for a couple of hours exploring, thousands of artefacts, both from the local area and abroad, it will be the best £8 entry fee you’ve spent.

There was a pub just down the hill called The Royal Oak Charmouth which has a good children’s menu  -  we enjoyed the specials we ordered - blue cheese arancini and fresh seafood with clams, though the service and the wine selection were a bit lacking, and the following night enjoyed an excellent meal at Swim where we sat on the deck overlooking the beach - a fairly eclectic menu meaning everyone could find something they wanted and generous portions. 

The best beach we found was Sandy Beach, which has been filled with 50,000 tonnes of sand imported from Normandy and has everything you need - ice cream, fish and chips and toilets - but beware the seagulls. Choose a table with umbrellas to eat under!

What was brilliant about the property is that despite it feeling so peaceful and out of the way, Lyme Regis is only a ten minute drive away. We spent a morning exploring the shops, with a coffee stop at a brilliant hole in the wall on the seafront called The Whole Hog serving Monmouth coffee and cinnamon buns the size of your head. We stumbled upon a cute cobbled courtyard, called The Town Mill, with a microbrewery, a couple of artisan shops and an old water mill that’s been restored which the kids enjoyed watching. 

Do you think The Orangery represents good value for money?

Yes. It’s pricier than what we’d normally pay, but it’s also nicer than where we’d normally stay, so it is absolutely worth it. The location being ten mins from Lyme Regis and the coast was perfect for the weekend we planned, and the comfort was really second to none. 

Final thoughts

I really can't find much fault with this holiday home, but if there had to be one tiny thing I'd change it would be to automate the gate so we (I) didn't have to get out of the car to open and close it every single time we were coming or going. But that really is only a tiny niggle!

About the author

Sarah Murray-Muncila is a Brand Partnerships Manager at Mumsnet, with a particular focus on travel. She’s previously worked at The Times and the Sunday Times, Immediate Media and BBC Magazines. 

As mum to two preschoolers, she’s well aware that holidays now hit differently, and she loves discovering brands that really understand the challenges that families face and working with them to help make parents' lives easier. 

About the editor

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, where she writes, edits and optimises family-focused content designed to make everyday parenting that bit easier.

As a mum of three, Jenny brings first-hand parenting experience to everything she writes, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way. Her family travels have ranged from UK camping trips to more adventurous long-haul breaks, giving her a clear understanding of what really matters when travelling with children - from location and layout to those small but crucial details that can turn an average family trip into the best holiday ever.

She regularly researches and reviews family travel options, combining expert insight with real parent feedback from the Mumsnet community to help other families plan holidays with confidence.

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